It will take at least a decade to reverse the damage caused to Ireland's waterways by the overuse of fertilisers, the chairman of the Central Fisheries Board, Mr Bill McLysaght, said yesterday.
Speaking at the launch of a joint protocol on the roles and responsibilities of fisheries boards and farmers, Mr McLysaght confessed that he had done untold damage to the environment himself by overuse of phosphorous and nitrogen in the past.
"There is little point in blaming farmers because they acted on bad advice. I did the same myself in the past and I shudder to think of the amount of damage I caused back then," he said.
The protocol agreed between the Central Fisheries Board and the Irish Farmers' Association was described as an invaluable tool in further protecting our rural environment by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey.
"The need for this protocol arises from the reality that fisheries and agriculture are inextricably linked," he said.
He said the most recent studies had shown that 33 per cent of river channels were affected by pollution and his Department was adopting a holistic approach to the problem.
The protocol set down balanced and fair procedures which respected the interests of farmers and fisheries officers so that both could work in harmony. The Minister said that under the National Development Plan, the Government would be investing £2.5 billion in water and waste strategies and he was working to ensure the water quality in lakes and rivers improved.
The Irish Farmers' Association president, Mr Tom Parlon, said the protocol, jointly prepared by his organisation and the fisheries boards, would ensure that the board officers applied fair and balanced procedures in their dealings with the farming community.